"The older our children get, the more often that happens" - Wout Van Aert opens up about future retirement thoughts

Wout Van Aert is now 31 years old and whilst retirement is not in his immediate plans, he doesn't hide away from the notion that within the next five years that is likely. In an honest interview ahead of the Tour of Flanders, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike shared his thoughts on the future end of his career.

“From the moment I turned thirty and unofficially belonged to the older generation of the peloton, I started thinking about it sometimes,” Van Aert said in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws. “The older our children get, the more often that happens… Do I really think about quitting? Yes and no".

Whilst he can't be called a veteran in the traditional sense, he has been a pro rider on the road since 2013, and took his first elite world title in cyclocross already 10 years ago in 2016. The Belgian was a three-time CX World Champion by the age of 23, in a time where riders of such a young age didn't traditionally perform at the top.

It has been a long career for the Belgian rider who is on a lifetime contract with Visma. That increases his possibilities into the future, as he does not have to worry about contract year, or the tension that can come from moving to different teams.

But when the thoughts of the retirement cross his mind, it quickly goes away. "When that thought crosses my mind sometimes, a minute later I’m thinking again about how I can prepare 100% for the spring classics and what choices I need to make. That thought is certainly not at the forefront, but the chance is greater that I will have stopped within five years than that I will still be a rider.”

He has endured two very serious injuries in 2024 and the increase in level of riders such as Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar has made it very hard to achieve his main goals: Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. However this Sunday, he starts in Antwerp with brilliant form, a result of his work throughout the past few months, both physical and psychological.

His family, often at the big races, is something that also motivates him and brings out the best in him. “That helps—to use a loaded word—to make being away from home often bearable. When Sarah (his wife, ed.) and I started having children, it was also a conscious choice to do it that way".

He openly talks about how his family is a big part of his career, and they were often present in some of his biggest moments in recent years. "I think it’s wonderful to be able to involve them in my career. The eldest already understands a lot about racing too. He thinks it’s absolutely magical to see those buses, the podium, and everything that goes with the race".

However even after he is past his prime, he does not plan on hanging up the bike immediately. “I don’t plan on just sitting on the couch. I am in a privileged situation where I am earning a good living and hopefully will continue to do so for a while. We also try to be sensible with money," he is realistic.

“Above all, I hope that I can experience the same thing later on as I do now. Doing what I love and not feeling like I’m working, but hopefully being home a bit more.”